New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘IMGZ0006’

ABSTRACT

A new New Guinea  Impatiens  plant named ‘IMGZ0006’ particularly distinguished by the has very large, flat flowers of brilliant orange-red color with a large white to very light red central blotch and a distinct red-purple eye, deep green glossy foliage with deep red veining, and a taller plant habit.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Impatienshawkeri.

Varietal denomination: ‘IMGZ0006’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new New Guinea Impatiens, botanicallyknown as Impatiens hawkeri, and hereinafter referred to by the varietyname ‘IMGZ0006’.

‘IMGZ0006’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivarhas very large, flat flowers of brilliant orange-red color with a largewhite to very light red central blotch and a distinct red-purple eye,deep green glossy foliage with deep red veining, and a taller planthabit.

‘IMGZ0006’ originated from a hybridization made in the June 2005 in acontrolled breeding environment in Hillscheid, Germany.

The female parent was the commercial, unpatented variety ‘ParadiseAmoya’ with a more salmon and white color, a smaller size flower and isearlier to flower.

The male parent of ‘IMGZ0006’ was a proprietary, unpatented plantdesignated ‘K05-5618-1’ with light pink flower color, smaller flowersize and lighter colored foliage.

The resultant seed was sown in November 2005 in a greenhouse inMoncarapacho, Portugal, and ‘IMGZ0006’ was selected there as oneflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in the spring of2006.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘IMGZ0006’ was accomplishedwhen vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection inJune 2006 in a controlled environment in Moncarapacho, Portugal.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plantinitiated in March 2007 in Hillscheid, Germany and continuingthereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics asherein disclosed for ‘IMGZ0006’ are firmly fixed and are retainedthrough successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘IMGZ0006’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity and day length.

A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar was applied for in Canada onDec. 24, 2010, #10-7140. ‘IMGZ0006’ has not been made publicly availablemore than one year prior to the filing of this application.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of thesecharacteristics distinguishes this Impatiens as a new and distinctvariety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawing shows typical flower and foliagecharacteristics of ‘IMGZ0006’ with colors being as true as possible withan illustration of this type. The photographic drawing shows a floweringplant of the new variety growing in 4.5 inch pot and a close-up of theflowers.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs were taken in the end of March 2011 fromplants grown in a greenhouse trial in Gilroy, Calif. USA. These plantswere growing in 4.5 inch pots and were approximately 8-9 weeks of age.

The plant descriptions and measurements were taken in mid May 2011 oneleven week old plants growing in a greenhouse in Andijk, TheNetherlands. Cuttings were stuck in early February for rooting, plantedinto 12 cm pots in late February, and were grown, without pinching, onbenches in a greenhouse, initially at a temperature of 20° C.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart (R.H.S.) 2001.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘IMGZ0006’ AND A SIMILARVARIETY ‘ORANGE NEPTIS’ (EU Plant Breeders Right ‘IMGZ0006’ Under‘Kinepor’ #EU7312) Flower color: More salmon-orange Deeper orange, morebrilliant Flower eye color: Distinct Very weak Flower size (width):8.3-9.2 cm 6.8-7.1 cm Foliage color: Dark green Medium green Leaf shape:Narrow Wider

-   Plant:    -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Initially medium sized, becoming            taller during the summer, mounded, with a medium number of            branches.        -   Plant height.—17.0 cm.        -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—18.0-20.0 cm.        -   Plant width.—27.0-29.0 cm.-   Roots:    -   -   Number of days to initiate roots.—7 days at about 22 degrees            C.        -   Number of days to produce a rooted cutting.—15-18 days at 22            degrees C.        -   Type.—Fine, fibrous, free branching.        -   Color.—RHS 159D.-   Foliage:    -   -   Arrangement.—Simple leaves, mainly in whorls.        -   Young leaf, color upper surface.—RHS 137C.        -   Young leaf, color lower surface.—Closest RHS 184A.        -   Mature leaf, color upper surface.—RHS 137B.        -   Mature leaf, color lower surface.—Closest to RHS 184B.        -   Length.—11.0-13.5 cm.        -   Width.—3.3-3.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical, relatively narrow.        -   Base shape.—Acute.        -   Apex shape.—Acuminate.        -   Margin.—Serrulate, with short bristles.        -   Texture.—Slightly waxy and glossy on the upper surface,            glabrous on both surfaces.        -   Color of veins, upper surface.—RHS 53A.        -   Color of veins, lower surface.—RHS 185A.        -   Petiole color, upper side.—RHS 53B.        -   Petiole color, lower side.—RHS 185B.        -   Length.—Approximately 1-2 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.3 cm.        -   Texture.—Glabrous.-   Stem:    -   -   Color of stem.—RHS 185A.        -   Length of stem.—About 9-13 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.6-0.8 cm.        -   Length of internodes.—Approximately 3-5 cm.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Number of branches.—9-11.        -   Color of peduncle.—RHS 185A.        -   Length of peduncle.—6.0-6.5 cm.        -   Peduncle diameter.—0.2 cm.        -   Texture.—Glabrous.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Blooming habit.—Continuous flowering from spring through            fall.        -   Type of inflorescence.—Solitary flowers emerge from the            upper leaf nodes of the stem.        -   Number of flowers per node.—1-3 open flowers and additional            buds in various stages of development.        -   Quantity of flowers per plant.—2-4 open flowers plus 6-10            buds.        -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—About 6-9            days.        -   Fragrance.—None.-   Bud (just before opening):    -   -   Color.—RHS 43A.        -   Length.—Up to 3.1 cm.        -   Width.—Up to 1.8 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.-   Immature flowers:    -   -   Color of petals, upper surface.—RHS 41A.        -   Color of petals, lower surface.—RHS 43C.-   Mature flowers:    -   -   Flower, vertical length.—8.8-9.5 cm.        -   Flower, horizontal width.—8.3-9.2 cm.        -   Flower depth.—1.5-2.0 cm.        -   Color of petals, upper surface.—RHS 33A to RHS 33B; with a            large central blotch of mainly RHS N155D and sometimes RHS            49A to RHS 49D; and a basal eye zone of RHS N57B.        -   Color of petals, lower surface.—RHS 41B.        -   Petal shape.—Nearly round to somewhat zygomorphic.        -   Petla apex shape.—Rounded or broadly obcordate.        -   Petal margin.—Entire.        -   Petal texture, upper surface.—Papillose.        -   Lower surface.—Papillose.-   Calyx:    -   -   Arrangement.—One large sepal bearing the spur, 2 small,            lateral sepals, and 1 fused keel.        -   Large sepal(s) Color, visible/lower surface.—RHS 50C.        -   Length.—2.6 cm.        -   Width.—1.7 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate to elliptical.        -   Apex shape.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Fused.        -   Margins.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Papillose.        -   Texture, lower surface.—Papillose.        -   Lateral sepals Color of surface.—RHS 166B.        -   Length.—1.9-2.2 cm.        -   Width.—0.6-0.7 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex shape.—Acute.        -   Base.—Fused.        -   Margins.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Glabrous.        -   Lower surface.—Glabrous.        -   Keel color.—From RHS 46A to more brownish tones, closest to            RHS 185A.        -   Length of keel.—About 3.0 cm.-   Spur:    -   -   Color.—RHS 53B mainly, RHS 53A at the tip.        -   Length.—5.2-5.5 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.3 cm at the base, 0.05 cm at tip.-   Reproductive organs androecium: 5 stamen, fused with the anthers    hooded, and surrounding the young gynoecium.    -   -   Shape.—Roughly ovoid.        -   Length of androeceum.—0.7 cm.        -   Width of androecium.—0.5 cm.        -   Surface color.—RHS N57B, fading towards margin.        -   Pollen amount.—Plenty.        -   Color of pollen.—RHS 8D.-   Gynoecium:    -   -   Pistil.—One, elongate.        -   Pistil length.—0.6 cm.        -   Style and stigma, total length.—0.2 cm.        -   Style color.—RHS 53C.        -   Stigma color.—RHS 53C.        -   Ovary color.—RHS 183A.        -   Fertility/seed set.—Has not been observed on this hybrid.        -   Disease/pest resistance.—Has not been observed on this            hybrid.

1. A new and distinct variety of New Guinea Impatiens plant named‘IMGZ0006’ substantially as illustrated and described herein.